Miami wins its first baseball series to open the season

The Miami RedHawks made a big impression during their season opening series against the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Miami won its first game 15-6, as well as Saturday’s game, 10-5. The RedHawks fell 13-8 on Sunday.

A big win for Miami’s season opener

In Friday’s game, the RedHawks showed their offensive power.

In the second inning, center fielder Zach McDonald walked. Third baseman William Escala and second baseman Brian Zapp hit RBI-singles to drive in two runs for Miami.

The Skyhawks put one run on the scoreboard in the third inning with a double and an RBI-single.

The RedHawks extended their lead by five runs in the fourth. McDonald singled and designated hitter Dalton Back walked, later stealing third and second respectively. First baseman Nick Neibauer brought them both home with a single. Left fielder Cristain Tejada singled and right fielder Nate Stone tripled to bring in two more runs. Stone later scored on a balk.

UT Martin added two runs to their score in the fifth with a reach on a fielding error by Zapp and a two-run home run.

In the top of the seventh, catcher Cole Andrews singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. McDonald and Escala walked to load the bases. Back singled to extend the RedHawks’ lead to 9-3.

The Skyhawks got three more runs in the bottom of the seventh with a couple of walks, a wild pitch, a sac fly, an RBI single, a double and another sac fly.

Miami got another run in the eighth after Neibauer walked, pinch hitter JJ Wollwine singled, Andrews walked and McDonald was hit by a pitch.

The RedHawks added on five more runs in the final inning. Zapp doubled and scored on a throwing error by UT Martin’s first baseman. Neibauer and Tejada singled, and Woolwine singled to bring a run in. Tejada scored on a throwing error by the Skyhawks’ pitcher, and Andrews hit a two-run homer.

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The RedHawks make a comeback

In the second inning of Saturday’s game, left fielder Benji Brokemond and first baseman Stephen Krause doubled to take an early lead.

The Skyhawks pulled ahead in the third inning with a double, a hit by pitch and a two-run double. UT Martin extended their lead by three runs in the fourth with two singles, an advancement on a wild pitch, a score on a throwing error by Brokemond and a two-run single.

The RedHawks fought back in the fifth. Escala and Andrews walked, and Back hit a three-run blast to put Miami within a one-run game.

Miami took the lead in the seventh. Brokemond and Neibauer walked, Brokemond stole third base and later scored on a fielding error by the Skyhawks’ catcher. Neibauer scored on a wild pitch and Andrews homered to bring in three more runs.

Relief pitcher Nick Demonica held the lead for the RedHawks by throwing two scoreless innings. In the ninth, Neibauer walked, Zapp and Woolwine singled and Tejada — who was pinch running for Neibauer — scored on a wild pitch.

Miami falls short in series finale

The RedHawks couldn’t sweep the Skyhawks as they lost 13-8 in Sunday’s game.

Miami took an early lead in the second inning as Neibauer singled and Escala hit a two-run bomb. But UT Martin tied it up quickly in the second half of the inning with a solo homer, three hits by pitches and walking in a run.

The Skyhawks extended the lead by three with a single, a walk, an advancement on a wild pitch, a score on a passed ball and a two-run double.

Miami brought the game within one run in the fourth. Escala and Zapp walked, and shortstop Tyler Wardwell doubled to bring both of the runners on base home.

UT Martin added two more runs to their score in the fifth with a walk, a hit by pitch and a two-run double. In the sixth, Tejada walked and Woolwine homered to bring the RedHawks within one run again.

The Skyhawks gained some insurance runs in the sixth with three singles, the last resulting in a run, a hit by pitch, walking in a run, a two-run single and stealing home. In the seventh, UT Martin added one more run with a walk and an RBI single.

Miami added two runs to the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth inning. In the eighth, Zapp singled, McDonald was hit by a pitch and the two advanced to second and third base on a wild pitch. Zapp scored on a fielding error by the Skyhawks’ third baseman. In the ninth, Andrews and Back singled, and Andrew scored on a wild pitch.

Miami baseball will play its first home game of the season this Saturday against the Rider Broncs. The RedHawks will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and another game Sunday at 1 p.m.

@LLFreiberg

freibell@miamioh.edu